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As soon as the player starts the level, Shadow Mario will appear to take F.L.U.D.D. away, much like how he does before starting a secret course. The entirety of Pianta Village has become covered in lava, which the Piantas claim has fallen from the sky and has trapped the mayor on his golden mushroom. Without F.L.U.D.D., the player cannot wash away the lava, so they have to take an alternate route.

Running around the village, the player will find a hole next to the spa. Ground Pounding the panel at the bottom will take the player to the village's underside, which they must navigate to reach another hole that will lead them to the mayor. The hanging paths will have many Klambers and Red Electro-Koopas on it the player has to avoid. To move the sliding panels, the player has to press when hanging on them, then quickly jump off once it reaches the end of its rail, as the panel will fall. By using the mushroom platforms and a swing underneath the village, the player can reach the panel they need to flip through. Wall Jumping out of the hole and jumping between the breaks in the lava will lead the player to F.L.U.D.D. and the golden mushroom the mayor is on top of. Jumping up and cleaning him off, the mayor will then reward the player with a Shine Sprite.

Methods of Completing the Episode Without Accessing the Village Underside[edit]

There are various methods of completing this episode without using the village underside:

Mario can use the spring's water to clean away some of the goop in between the spring and the building where F.L.U.D.D. is held, then jump or dive across.

Mario can avoid being hurt by the lava for a short time by taking a hit from a Wind Spirit, therefore skipping most of the level.

If Mario has full or near full health and enters the grate near the Piantas playing music, he can climb the wall by sideways somersaulting onto it, since the edges are not covered with Lava Graffiti. He can get close to the mayor's platform, and if he faces opposite of the platform (on Lava Graffiti, Mario bounces opposite of the way he is facing), jumps, then, while in the air, moves toward the platform, he will bounce across the Lava Graffiti to the mayor's platform.

Mario can climb to the top of the tree to the left of the entrance and jump down to the building where F.L.U.D.D. is located. [1]